Gate for railway-tracks



(No Model.) 4 SheetsSh aet 1. W. P. ELLIOTT.

GATE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS. No. 447,463. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

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W. P ELLIOT T.

GATE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Patented Mar. 3,1891.

(No Model.)

W. P. ELLIOTT. GATE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS.

' 4 sheets-sheet a.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.-

W. P. ELLIOTT.

GATE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS.

No. 447,463. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

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PATENT \VILLIAM I. ELLIOTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GATE FOR RAILWAY-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,463, dated March 3, 1891. Application filed April 1, 1890. Serial No. 346,207. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Gates for Intersecting Railroad-Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a system of gates for intersecting railroad-tracks, said tracks having gates adapted to be manipulated from a common point, so as to bar a track or series of parallel tracks to the passage of cars thereon while the intersecting or conflicting track or series of tracks is being used.

My invention relates more particularly, first, to means for operating the gates for a single track or series of parallel tracks and the gates for a conflicting track or series of tracks from a common point and in such manner that when the gates for tracks extending in one direction are down the gates for the conflicting tracks-tl 6., those extending in a conflicting directionare raised, and, second, to means for locking the operative mechanism of the gates for one series of tracks against movement while the mechanism for operating the gates for the conflicting series of tracks is in condition to be operated.

I have used for the purpose of illustration in this application a system of gates which I have constructed and now have in actual operation and in which a series of tracks, six in number, are crossed by a series of conflicting tracks, three in number. As itis practicable to bar two parallel tracks at operative distances apart with a single gate-arm on either side, the crossing which I have shown for the purpose of illustration employs two pairs and two single gates for the series of six tracks and two pairs of gates for the series of four tracks; but the principle of my invention is applicable of course to a series of conflicting tracks having any number of individual tracks in either or both series.

In theaceompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crossing above described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pipes, valves, and valve-controlling mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same. Fig.

4 is a side elevation of the operative mechanism within a gate-post. Fig. 5 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 4, showing the front of the gate-post partly broken away. Fig. 6 is a similar elevation of the rear of the post, and Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view of a small power-cylinder located in the lower front corner of the post.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, 0 indicates a set 0 parallel tracks, four in number, and 6 a set of tracks, two in number, and parallel to the tracks 6, and 7 a series of conflicting tracks extending parallel to each other, three in number.

8 indicates posts bearing gatearms 9 to bar the first-mentioned series of tracks, including sets of tracks marked 6 and 6,and 8 represents posts bearing gate-arms 9, which are used to bar the conflicting tracks '7.

Referring to Fig. 2, 10 represents a supplypipe for the motor fluid, and which delivers said fluid by a branch 11, having a valve 12 to a header 13, from whence it passes by branches 14 outwardly through pipes 15 or 16, connected to the working-cylinders located within the gate'post, as may be dictated by the manipulation of valves 17, located at the junction of the pipes 15 and 16 with 14. It will be understood that the gate-arms of the tracks (marked 6) of the set 6 and 6 may be joined in pairs on opposite sides of the tracks, so that the members of said pairs may be simultaneously operated, and that the remaining two tracks (marked 0) of said set are guarded by two single gates. The valves 17 are three-way valves, and if they be so set as to direct the motor fluid (preferably air) through pipes 15 said fluid will be delivered to the upper ends of the cylinders 18, located at the front side of the gate-posts. The mechanism within the gate-post is of any approved construction, that shown being similar The piston of cylinder 18 is crossbar 23 is connected by a cable 26 with the gear-segment 19 at its end opposite the connection of cable 20. From the above description it will be obvious that the downward movement of the piston in cylinder 18 will effect the lowering of the gate-arm and also cause the reciprocation of the piston 2% within its cylinder, thereby placing that cylinder in condition to receive the motor fluid at the top thereof in order to raise the gatearm. To perform this raising of the gatearm the three-way valves 17 will be turned to permit the motor fluid to exert pressure through the pipe 1 6, which communicates with the upper ends of the cylinders 25, and the three-way valves will be provided with a suitable vent always registering with the pipes 15 or 16, according as they may be turned, so that the motor fluid exerts pressure by one of said pipes and exhausts from the other through said vent.

By reference again to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the means for manipulating the several valves are levers 27, whose upper ends are coupled in pairs-one lever for each gate or pair of gates-by pivoted links 28, to which links may be applied the operating-handles 29. It will be understood that for each gate or pair of gates in line on the same side of a track there will be one supply-pipe 14:, the branches 15 and 16 thereof, and one valve to control the passage to said branches. here there area number of parallel tracks guarded by gates arranged in line on either or both sides of them to protect them against approaching trains on the conflicting tracks, the valves controlling the passage of air to these series of gates may all be connected by a single pivoted bar, as 28, in which case the whole series of gates would be operated simultaneously; but as it may be desired to manipulate the gates to bar one track or set of tracks in the same series without lowering the gates to bar an adjoining and parallel track or set of tracks in the same series I prefer to connect the operative mechanism for the gate or gates for one track or set of tracks with the locking mechanism, so that each of the sets may be worked in dependently of the gate or gates for the adjoining and parallel track or pair of tracks. This preferred arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, wherein mechanism for operating four pairs of gates and two single gates is shown, the six controlling-valves being connected in three pairs, and as applied to the tracks shown in Fig. 1 the single gates for tracks 6 are operated by the pair of connected valves at the middle of the figure, while the two pairs of gates covering the set of tracks marked 6 are operated by the pair of valves at the right, and the two pairs of gates for the conflicting tracks 7 are operated by the pair of valves at the left of the figure and whose planes of rotation are at right angles to the planes of the valves for the gates guarding tracks 6 and 6. Now by theabove arrangement it is obvious that the independent action of a pair of gates or of two single gates may be secured.

30 represents a branch pipe to supply the motor fluid to the gates for the conflicting tracks, and this pipe delivers to a header 31, having branches 32 33, in which are located the three-way valves 17, which control the )assa e to nines 34c 35 corres ondin to the D l 7 O pipes 15 16, previously described and leading to the gate-posts S of the conflicting tracks '7. The valves for these pairs of gates are also coupled by means of a link 28, bearing an operating-handle 29, similar to those before described.

I prefer to so connect the lovers 27 to the stems of the valves that they shall stand in substantially a vertical position when the gate-arms are down, and in order to provide for locking the gates of one set of tracks before the gates for the other set of tracks can be open ed Iarrange the operating mechanisms of the respective series of gates in lines at substantially right angles to each other, and the operator will stand facing the inward angle made by the two systems of operating mechanisms. Now if under the conditions abovestated the operator moves the handle 29 in the direction indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 2, in order to raise the gates controlled by said handle the levers 27 are turned at an angle to their former position and the lever nearest the link 28 will be projected into the path of said link, so as to bar the same against movement, and therebypreventthe operation of the gates for the conflicting tracks, and if the lever 29 be moved as indicated the link 28 will be locked. This result of locking the one set by the movement of the other might be accomplished in various ways; but I have shown herein a simple mechanism for effecting said result which I have found to be success.

ful and desirable in actual practice, although its structural features might be changed and all supplemental devices might be omitted and the valve levers or links themselves adapted to interlock. The interlocking mechanism shown comprises disk-segments 3h 36 which are pivoted at the points 36 36, their pivotal centers coinciding with the centers of the valves 17, whose stems may be extended to furnish the pivo al axes of the segments. These disk-segments are semicircular in outline. The one marked 36 is connected to link 28 at the pivotal connection of the latter with the valve'lever 27 by a slot-and-pin connection, the slot being marked 37 and the pin 38. The pin also pivotally connects the link 28 and lever 27. The disk 36 issimilarly connected with the link 28 and its valve-lever. When the levers are moved from the vertical to an angular position, the disk-segments will be turned upon their pivotal axes correspondingly, and from this it results that if the link 28 nearest the link 28 be moved the segment 36 will intersect the line of movement of the disk-segment 36 and prevent its oper- ITO ation until the link 28 has been returned to its original position, and that, on the other hand, if the link 28 be moved the disk-segment 36 will in like manner intersect the line of movement of the disk 36 and thereby prevent its operation. Of course the same principle of operation would be employed if instead of having links 28 28 connectingthe valves in pairs a single valve were employed for gates controlling the passage on conflicting tracks, and hence my invention is in no wise dependent upon the employment of a series of gates, but is equally applicable to single gates for controlling such conflicting tracks.

The mechanisms above described are effective in operation; but it is evident that they are under the control or will of the operator, and therefore upon his coolness and judgment the manipulation of the gates depends. In order, however, to restrict the exercise of the judgment of the operator within certain limits, other mechanism may be introduced which will compel the complete lowering of one gate or series of gates before the gate or series of gates for the conflicting tracks can be raised, and, while various mechanisms may be used to effect this design, I have shown mechan isms which are entirely applicable to the purpose, and which I will now describe.

On the inner faces of the disks 36 36 are projecting curved ribs 39 39. The upper end of the rib 39 has a right-angular extension 40, projected outward preferably a distance from the face of the disk 36 equal to the distance of the upper end of the rib 39 from the straight edge of the disk-segment 36. Instead of the ribs, other forms of locking-seats maybe provided in or on the locking-disks. The bar 41 of the supporting-frame extends below the outer end of the projection 40 and the rib 39 and upon this bar are pivoted bellcrank levers 42 42. The upper members of these bell-crank levers are pivotally connected by meansof a link 43, and a lever 44 is pivoted between its ends to the link 43, its upper end projecting within reach of the operator and its lower end depending and adapted to engage steps 44 44, having a sliding bearing in the bar 41.

To the horizontal members of the bell-crank levers are connected adjustable rods 45 45, whose lower ends are secured with diaphragm plates 46 46, which, by adjusting the length of rods 45 and 45, may be made-to rest more or loss closely upon the diaphragms 46 and 46, forming the movable walls of pressurechambers in communication, respectively, by pipes 47 47, with cylinders, such as 48, Fig. 7,' located within the gateposts of the respective sets of gates. Of course cylinders and pistons may be substituted for the diaphragms. These cylinders will have pistons therein whose piston-rods 48 project beyond the upper ends of the cylinders and are adapted to be reciprocated in any convenient manner by the movement of the pistons of the power-cylinders 18. The cross-bar 18 is apertured for the passage of the piston-rod 48, and the latter has collars 48, one above and one below the bar, which collars are engaged by the crossbar in its reciprocation in order to effect the reciprocation of the piston in cylinder 48. Air will thus be compressed in the cylinders 48 and forced outward through the pipes 47 into the chamber beneath the diaphragms, according as the one or the other set of gates is in operation. For example, if air be compressed within the cylinders 48 in posts supporting arms that guard series 7 of tracks, it will flow back through the pipe 47, entering the chamber beneath the diaphragm 46", lifting the rod 45, if it is adjusted so that plate 46 rests close to flexible wall of diaphragm 46", rocking the bell-crank lever 42 and causing the bent end 42 of said lever to leave the projection 40 on the disk 36, and, through the intervention of the link 43, will force the bent end 42 of bell-crank lever 42 into overlapping engagement with the upper end of the rib 39, thus locking the disk 36 against movement, as well as the levers, links, and valves connected with said segment, and thus securing the arms guarding series 7 of tracks in the horizontal position until all the movements just described have been reversed. The operation above described will occur during the downward movement of he pistons of all the cylinders 48 in posts supporting arms guarding series 7 of tracks, as previously described, in the lowering of the gate-arm. If new the gate-arms guarding the series of conflicting tracks, including sets marked 6 and 6, are lowered, air will in like manner be compressed in the cylinders 48 of this series, and by exerting its pressure through pipe 47, if rod 45 is soadj usted that plate 46 rests close to the flexible wall of the diaphragm 46, will lift the horizontal arm of bell-crank 42, disengage catch 42 from upper end of rib 39 on disk 36, and bymeans of link 43 force bent end 42 into overlapping engagement with upper side of projection 40-on disk 36, thus reversing the motions before described and securing the arms guarding sets 6 and 6 of tracks in the horizontal position until the motions last described have in their turn been reversed. The link 43 and the locking projections will be of such length that whenever one clears the other will overlap the projection of its corresponding rib.

\Vith the construction and arrangement of parts above described it is possible, of course, to have all of the gates lowered at the same time; butthegateorseriesof gates lastlowered have so actuated the mechanisms as to lock itself or themselves While releasing the gate or series of gates of the conflictingseries, and this renders it necessary to raise and then lower again the gateor series of gates just released before the other series can be raised. In other words, the gates must be alternately operated. New no harmful consequence could ICC Lil

result by leaving within the discretion of the operator the power to manipulate the gates in some other sequence than alternately, provided that the gates are all down when he exercises such discretion. In order to provide for this, various mechanisms might be employed for shifting the locking-levers t2 t2, so as to unlock either the one or the other of the gates or series of gates when all are down and permit the raising of either set or series which the operator may elect. The means which I have illustrated comprise the pivoted lever 4A, whose lower end is adapted to engage the stops all at, which are vertically movable within their bearings and are seated at their lower ends upon arms 45", clamped to the rods 45 and 45. The operating mechanism will be so adjusted by properly proportioning thelength of rodsjtfi and t5 to permit theplates l6 and time just slightly rest on the distended flexible walls of their respective diaphragms, so that when the gates are all down the locking projections i2 l2 will both bear oroverlap and to the same extent upon the locking projections with which they are adapted to engage. The upper ends of the pins all lt" will stand in the same horizontal plane, and the diaphragms controlling them will be fully distended. Suppose now that the operator shall have elected to raise the set of gates controlled by the handle 29. In this case he will move the lever M toward the disk 36, in which case the lower end of the lever willimpinge upon the pin it. which furnishes a stop and renders the lever operative to move the link t3 toward the disk 30, releasing the locking projection i2 and causing the locking projection 4-2 to fully overlap the upper end of the rib 239. 'lheset of gates guarding set of tracks (3, answering the movement of handle 2!), will now be in condition to be raised by the manipulation of said handle. During the time occupied by the movement of the lever 4st to effect the unlocking, as above described, the pin ll will have been carried upwardly in its bearing, while the pin 44 will have been correspondingly depressed,so that. its upper end will not project above the top of the bar 41. Now, it is evident that under this condition the operator could not by reversing the lever It unlock the disk 36, because of the absence of the stop it, and therefore having elected which gate or set of gates he will raise it would be impossible, after setting the mechanism so as to raise one set of gates, to reverse the mechanism so as to raise the other gates. The discretion ot' the operator is therefore confined to a selection of which set of gates he will raise when all the gates guarding both series of tracks are down, and having so elected this selection must be carried out.

To provide against the return of the pin ll after the operation above described,which return would be effected by the elasticity of the air below the diaphragm 46 I tap the chambers below the diaphragms to titl by pipes 4C0, which are projected upward to the vicinity of the lever it, where they are provided with cocks 5O 50, whose stems are so disposed as to be engaged by the lever 44, according as said lever is moved in the one direction or the other, whereby a passage is opened for the escape of the compressed air beneath the diaphragms lti or 46, as the case may be, and this renders said diaphragms inert and incapable, therefore, of returning the stops 44; or it" to their normal position. The handles of these cocks 50 5O will preferably be spring-con trolled, so as to return them to their normal position to close the passage after they have been turned by the oscillation of the lever.

It isapgarent that the description of the method of unlockingv the disk 36 is also a description of the method of unlocking the disk 36, the lever it being moved in the latter case in the opposite direction. In the construction illustrated I have provided for manipulating the several gates or pairs of gates guarding different tracks or sets of tracks in the same series independently of each other, while at the same time utilizing the movement of the operating mechanism to lock and unlock the gate mechanism of the conflicting tracks, and this I do, preferably, by connecting each gate or pair of gates guarding tracks throughout one series with the locking-disk belonging to the gates guarding said series, so that said disk will be operated, but independently oi the particular mechanism to which it is connected. This may be accomplished by means of a pitman 51, (shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,) one end of which pitman is pivoted to the valve for, say, the gates covering the set of tracks 6, the other end of said pitman being eccentrically connected with the disk 36. Now, if the mechanism for controlling the said gate or pair of gates be manipulated it will, through the intervention of the pitman, cause the partial rotation of the disk 06 and its interception of the disk 36, the disk 36 being free to turn without affecting the other mechanism by reason of the free slot-and-pin connection before described. Of course the pitman described will be duplicated in the same line for each gate or pair of gates in the same series sought to be worked independently of the rest.

Instead of using the auxiliary motor-cylin der 48, it is evident that the lower end of the cylinder 18 may be tapped by the pipes 47, and the motor fluid expelled from the cylinder 18 by the downward movement of its piston may be utilized to distend the diaphragm and operate the locking mechanism.

Of course it is essential in the use of a system of interlocking gates, such as above described, to provide against the locking of the gates in a given position until all the gates guarding a series of tracks have assumed that position. To accomplish this end it is only necessary to so arrange the device as to make the gate last to complete its movement opcr- .their respective cylinders.

ate thelocking device. Supposing, now, that all the gates or pairs of gates guarding a series of tracks have the auxiliary cylinders 48 all interconnected by means of the pipes 47 with the pressure-chamber beneath the diaphragm 4U", controlling the locking mechanism. Now, if these cylinders 48 are each provided with an orifice in their side walls below the piston and'all of the cylinders are connected, it is evident that compression of air cannot be effected in the system until the pistons in each have passed the orifices of As this is a simple means of accomplishing the desired end, I have selected it for illustration, and in Fig. 7 I have shown one of the cylinders 48 having an orifice 48 in its side wall below the piston, which is there marked 48. Supposing now that each of the cylinders throughout the system of one set of gates be provided with a similar orifice, if in operation the respective gates do not move simultaneously, the orifices uncovered will provide an escape for the air and no compression will be effected 1 until the gate last to move has caused the descent of its piston 48* to pass the orifice 48 and thereupon compression of the air will commence, and when the compression has reached an operative limit the diaphragm will be moved and the locking devices manipulated.

It is evident that the position of the orifices may be varied to meet the requirements of the system.

I claim 1. In a system of gates for conflicting railroad-crossings, the combination, with a series of gates for one of the conflicting tracks and a gate or gates for the other of the conflicting tracks, each of said gates comprising pivoted bars operated by fluid-motors, of suitable pipes for delivering the motorfluids to said motors, and said pipes having valves to control the passage of the fluid therethrough, the valves for the series being coupled together and the valve or valves for the gates of the other conflicting track arranged in a plane intersecting that in which the first-named valves are placed, and valve-stems for the respective sets of valves adapted when rocked to intercept each others path, whereby to lock one series of gates while the other is being operated, substantially as described.

2. Ina system of gates for conflicting railroad-crossings, the combination, with a series of gates for one series of conflicting tracks and agate or gates for the other conflicting track or tracks, each of said gates having a pivoted gate-bar operated by a fluid-motor, of pipes for delivering the motor fluid thereto, said pipes having valves therein connected in pairs to correspond with the gates, rigid valvestems having their ends linked together, and the valves for the respective series of gates being arranged in planes intersecting each other, whereby when said valve-stems are turned they are caused to lock the valvestems of the other series against movement, substandelivering a motor fluid to the respective.

gates, said pipes having valves assembled in proximity to each other, valve-stems located in planes intersecting each other, disks secured to move with said valve-stems, lockingseats on the adjoining faces of saiddisks, a locking-lever adapted to reciprocate between said locking-seats and adapted for engagement therewith, and means for reciprocating said locking-lever, whereby when one set of gates is operated said locking-bar is caused to engage With and lock the operative mechanism of the conflicting series of gates against movement, substantially as described.

a. In a system of gates for conflicting railroad -crossings, the combination, with the gates for the respective series, of pipes for delivering a motor fluid to the respective gates, said pipes having valves assembled in proximity to each other, valve-stems located inplanes intersecting each other, disks secured to move with said valve-stems,lockingseats on the adjoining faces of said disks, a locking-lever adapted to reciprocate between said locking-seats and for engagement therewith, and auxiliary motors actuated by the gate-motors and adapted to reciprocate said locking-lever when one set of gates is operated whereby to cause said lever to engage with and lock the operative mechanism of the said series of gates against movement, substantially as described.

5. In a system of gates for conflicting railroad-crossings, the combination, with a series of gates for one series of conflicting tracks' and a gate or gates for the other conflicting track or tracks, each of said gates having a pivoted gate-bar operated by a fluid-motor, of pipes for delivering a nr otor fluid thereto, said pipes having valves assembled in proximity to each other, valvestems located in planes intersecting each other, disks secured to move with said valve-stems, locking-seats on said disks, a locking-lever adapted to reciprocate between said locking-seats and for engagement therewith, and a series of auxiliary motor cylinders corresponding in arrangement with the prime motors and oper-' ated thereby and all connected to a common pipe for delivering a motor fluid to means for reciprocating said locking-lever, said auxiliary cylinders having exhaust-ports in their side walls, whereby when the series of gates is operated the motor fluid from each of said auxiliaries may exhaust until the ports of all are covered and the locking mechanism is operated by the auxiliary last to act, substantially as described.

6. In a system of gates for conflicting railroad-crossings, the combination, with a gate or gates for each of the conflicting tracks, each having pivoted gate-bars operated by a fluid-n1otor, of pipes for delivering the motor fluid, said pi pcs having valves therein assembled in proximity to each other, valve-stems located in planes intersecting each other, and a reciprocating locking-bar actuated by an auxiliary motor, a lever pivotally connected between its ends with said lockingbar, and movable stops adapted to be controlled by the auxiliary motor and adapted to furnish a bearing for the lower end of said pi voted lever, whereby said bar may be moved out of locking engagement with the operating mechanism for one set of gates and into engagement with the other at the will of the operator, substantially as described.

7. In a system of gates for conflicting railroad-crossings, the combination, with a gate or gates for each of the conflicting tracks, each having pivoted gate-bars operated by a fluid-motor, of pipes for delivering the motor fluid, said pipes having valves therein assembled in proximity to each other, valve-stems located in planes intersecting each other, and a reciprocating locking'bar actuated by an auxiliary motor, a lever pivotally connected between its ends with said locking-bar, and movable stops adapted to be controlled by the auxiliary motor and adapted to furnish a bearing for the lower end of said pivoted lever and means for controlling the auxiliary motor, whereby to exhaust the same and thereby prevent the return of one of the stops to a position to engage the pivoted lever,

whereby when the operator has selected a gate or series of gates to unlock the unlocking of the conflicting series by the manipulation of the pivoted lever is rendered impossible, substantially as described.

8. In a system of gates for conflicting railroadcrossings, the combination, with a series of gates for one series of conflicting tracks and a gate or gates for the other conflicting tracks, each of said gates having a pivoted gate-bar operated by a fluid-motor, of pipes for deliveringa motor fluid thereto, said pipes having valve'stems assembled in proximity to each other, said stems located in planes intersecting each other, disks secured to move with said valve'sterns, locking-seats on said disks, a locking-lever adapted to reciprocate between said locking-seats, bell-crank levers having one of their members pivotally connected to said locking-lever near its ends, said members having bent ends adapted to engage the locking-seats, and a series of auxiliary motor-cylinders corresponding in arrangementwith the prime motorsand operated thereby and all connected to a common pipe for delivering a motor fluid to means for rocking saidbell-cranlc levers and thereby recip' rocating said lockinglever, substantially as described.

VILLIAM P. ELLIOTT.

Vt'itnesses:

FREDERICK C. GOODWIN, G. O. LINTHIOUM. 

